Facing the past
by Trevor the Enchanter
Summary: Vlad watches the aftermath of the Xenomorph invasion. Unfortunately, his childhood nightmare has escaped from his prison and he is the only one who knows how to fight him


Okay, I figured I'd write a short one-shot for the sequel of "Siege of Amity Park". It centers around Vlad and Clockwork, along with who the new enemy will be.

Vlad floated above Daniel and his friends, laughing together. Much as he wished he could have joined them, any chance he had long ago. _Besides, Daniel still doesn't trust me, though I can't really blame him. _Daniel and Samantha had their arms around each other, while Tucker was doubtless making jokes at their expense.

_That used to be me, Jack, and Maddie. I only hope they don't suffer the same fate. _He didn't see it as likely. Daniel had friends to support him through being a hybrid, while Vlad had nobody to assuage his loneliness and anger. By the time Jack finally tried, it was too late. _I wish I could have told you everything, Daniel, but there are things I have faced in my past that are better left forgotten. You've never looked at evil in the face, as I have._

Daniel was probably better than he ever was. In spite of bullies, being hated by the town, enduring constant pain, he still played the hero. "How were you able to do it, Daniel?" He whispered. "I know what a burden these powers can sometimes be, and yet you are content to help any way you can. That is something I will never be able to do." It wasn't in him to selflessly save the world everyday simply because it was the right thing to do. _Maddie was always the one for self-sacrifice, not me._

He decided to leave before he was detected. He managed to retrieve some of his fortune, which helped him spy on Yetani, but thus far, he hadn't been able to figure anything out. He flew around Amity Park, with no particular destination in mind. Vlad spotted another familiar.

_He's the one I worry about. _He looked at Derek and Jazz. Vlad noticed his fear, the way he mentally clung to her. _Beneath his sadness and kind exterior is a powerful rage, much like me. If Jasmine hurts him, another unintentionally, the result will not be pleasant. The fact that Daniel acts like the typical overprotective brother won't help matters. If he is given time to recover from the loss of his father, he may succeed. That is, if Daniel doesn't do anything foolish. _He knew the feeling well. He and Jack were always like her big brothers, standing up for her even when she was annoyed by it. _I feel sorry for her boyfriends… almost. _

Vlad knew he probably shouldn't spend so much time worrying about them, but in a way, he considered them his children. Even when they were enemies, Vlad always had great respect for Daniel and his friends. "Will you make the right choice, or will you follow my path, young man?" He whispered to himself, hoping Derek would not become like him. "I keep sensing something is going to happen. This city is too active for it to stay quiet for long."

There was a large part of him that still yearned to visit Jack. His old friend had forgiven him, but there was still a part of Vlad that held nothing but loathing for the man. _I'm not as redeemed as I like to think. I have to keep my anger in control, or I'll lose whatever chance I still have. _There were many times, though, where it was hard to care. What did he have to lose, anyway?

However, he was smart enough now to know that revenge was pointless. Maddie was dead, so there was nothing more to fight about, and even if he succeeded, he would be no better off. The damage was already done. Unfortunately, that didn't make the temptation go away.

He flew to the cemetery, where he visited Maddie's grave. Vlad forced himself not to cry before he kneeled down. "It should have me, you know." 

Vlad shook his head. "You had Jack, a couple of great children… you overcame your demons, while I am still enslaved to them. My death would likely have been a mercy to you."

He wiped off the dirt on the stone. "I never intended for it to be like this. Although Daniel would never believe it, I didn't turn to the dark the instant I received my powers. Jack always wanted to contact me in the hospital but I refused to say a word. I realize now he was only trying to repair our friendship, instead of trying to take you away from me. I just wish it hadn't taken your death for me to realize that.

"For what's it worth, I'll look after Daniel as best I can, out of respect to you. It doesn't even begin to make up for the pain I caused you, but it is all I can give you." He softly kissed the gravestone and stood there. Vlad knew he could have asked for their help battling an old enemy when he was still inexperienced with his powers. In spite of his attempts to push them away, he knew they would have come. _But I was still too angry to think about it. She told me to forgive Jack, but I refused, and look what I got for it: she was killed, and it pushed me fully to what I became. With your help, maybe I could have saved her and the ones she was trying to protect. I may as well have stuck the knives into you myself. _

Before he knew it, he found himself at Clockwork's tower. "Why did you bring me here, Clockwork?" he asked as calmly as he could.

"Merely checking up on you," Clockwork smirked in reply. "Besides, I was finally able to get away from the Observants."

"There's something else, isn't there?" Vlad snapped. "I know you better than that, so just tell me."

"As you no doubt have guessed, there's another enemy." Clockwork nodded, turning into an adult. "This one, however, you are quite familiar with. 

His name sends terror through ghosts and humans alike, and why you took up ghost hunting to begin with."

"Him again?" Vlad demanded. "Fine, I'll take him out, even if I have to kill him 100 times." _He killed my parents, my friends… why can't I be rid of him?_

"It's not that simple, especially since his main target is you. He has also grown more powerful."

"So why don't you do anything besides give me ominous warnings?" Clockwork pointed at the battered Thermos.

"It takes much of my power to keep him from escaping, so there is little I can do to stop it. I know you can protect yourself, but this is an enemy Danny does not know how to fight."

Before Vlad could respond, the tower started shaking. Even Clockwork was surprised by the turn of events. A flash of dark light surrounded them, and after a few seconds, they found themselves in a familiar place, or at least it was to Vlad.

"It's not supposed to look like this." Vlad stated in a shocked tone. Almost everything in the town was destroyed, even the plants and trees. The signs were ruined, the road was badly damaged, and skeletons were hanging in front of the houses, long dead. "I remember this place, but why were we thrown here?"

"I don't know any more than you do." Clockwork looked around, turning into a child. "This is not a place I'm familiar with."

"This looks like where I grew up, but nothing like this ever happened. Unless this is some kind of dream…" He spotted something heading towards the duo. Both of them evaded the object, which crashed into the ground, leaving cracked cement in its wake.

However, it turned out it wasn't as object, as whoever it was slowly got up and into a fighting stance. Vlad wondered what was going on, but didn't have to wait long as someone else showed up. "You don't know when to quit, do you, bitch?" He snarled. "I will get out of here, and you can't stop me." Before he could move, he fell onto his face.

"You… I thought I destroyed you 15 years ago." Vlad snarled, his hands glowing with energy. Clockwork took out his scythe, not knowing exactly what this creature was. "Remember all the fun we had together. I admit, her screams were quite satisfying." His opponent fired a small blast in his direction, knocking him off-balance.

"What… what are you doing here, Vlad?" The woman asked. "Did he get you too?"

"No, we were dragged here by something." Vlad replied, duplicating into 3. "Before I leave, I'm going to make sure he will never return to the real world. Why are you two here, anyway?"

"After we beat him last time, he came back and tried to go after the others." She explained. "I intercepted him and we fought. I realized that I would have to drag him here to make sure he can't go after anyone else. It's nice to see you again."

"Touching as this reunion is, you're all going to perish!" He screamed, running towards them, his blades glowing green.

"Time out!" Clockwork exclaimed, clicking his staff. Therefore, it was a surprise when he felt blades in his chest.

"I'm immune to your pathetic tricks." He laughed, only to be blast by Vlad.

"You may be immune to him, but let's see you try to stop me." Vlad laughed. His duplicates flew to the left and right. They fired several shots, all 

of which he dodged or deflected. That is, until Vlad impaled him with an ecto-sword. "I see you haven't learned anything." They were flung aside, but Vlad recovered and fired eye beams.

"Neither have you." He laughed. "I can't be stopped; I am eternal!" He was kicked in the side by the girl. "I've allowed you to live for far too long, bitch!"

"You'll have to me out first, and I don't think you can." Vlad glared, charging towards him. He grabbed the arm with the blades and used the ghost stinger. He groaned, but continued to struggle. Vlad's duplicates flew towards him and added their attacks. Clockwork groaned and took out his scythe, intending to finish him.

That is, until their opponent stabbed one of the duplicates in the chest, destroying it. He kicked Vlad away, and backslapped the woman before she could help. Vlad flew up, but he grabbed his foot and pulled him close. "Before you die, Masters, tell the children that Freddy's coming for them." Vlad headbutted him, loosening his grip; Vlad managed to teleport away, reappearing out of Krueger's reach.

"I'm a lot stronger than I was last time we fought." Vlad warned. "Nancy, step aside; he is mine." He started creating an ectoplasmic tornado, sending it towards Krueger. At the last minute, though, he dodged, flying through the air.

"Sorry, Krueger, you'll have to do better." Nancy growled, punching him across the jaw. Vlad conjured another sword and stabbed him through the chest. Krueger grabbed the sword, and slowly pulled it out of his body. Clockwork swung his scythe and cut the lower half of his right arm off. Krueger let go of the sword and slashed Vlad across the face, and kicking Nancy in the jaw before she could do anything. Freddy flew down and reattached his severed arm.

"This should be entertaining." Krueger laughed, launching ropes out of his fingers. They wrapped themselves around Vlad, and shocked him terribly. "One of the ecto-weapons you used against me; turnabout's fair play, except these are a lot stronger."

He launched another string of ropes, intending to get Clockwork, but he cut through them in time. "You will never beat us, Krueger. You will always be hunted by the Observants, even if you manage to win this battle." Krueger trapped Nancy in a net, and charged towards the time master. He was forced back as their battle went higher into the skies.

Vlad struggled with all his strength but the ropes would not break. He fired eye beams, hoping to cut them. It was a slow process, since they were ecto-resistant, but he eventually managed. He ripped through the net Nancy was trapped in, and wondered what to do next. "He'll have to use more than cheap tricks." He snarled.

"Vlad, be careful." Nancy warned. "This is exactly what he intended: to separate us. He might take the form of Clockwork in order to let our guard down."

They flew together, looking for any sign of the duo. "You know, I always knew you had a good heart, Vlad." Nancy smiled. "I just wish our time wasn't cut short."

"If you think that, you'll a little behind the times." Vlad scoffed. "Just ask Daniel; he'll tell you everything you want to know."

"Daniel?"

"Son of Jack and Maddie Fenton; the second hybrid his stupidity created." Vlad's grudge on Jack was lessened, but had not disappeared. "He's been a constant thorn in my side."

"Why? I don't get it."

"To put it simply, I was trying to kill Jack, marry Maddie, and make him my son."

"You mean you became a villain? I thought better of you, Vlad!" She was very tempted to slap him right now.

"I'll explain in more detail; let's just find him!" They flew around the ruined town, looking for any new signs of battle, but neither of them seemed to be anywhere.

Clockwork flew up to them, his normally expressionless face very worried. "He's trying to break out." He warned, now in the form of an old man. "We've got to stop him before he manages it."

"How do we know you're not Krueger in disguise?" Nancy demanded. Clockwork simply floated there, awaiting their response.

"We'll find out soon enough." Vlad replied. He floated there, putting a shield around him and Nancy. Clockwork turned into a child, and he lowered the shield. "Yep, that's him." _Thankfully, I've been around him long enough to recognize him. _All three of them heard a dark laugh. Krueger was speeding to the exit, tearing at the door with his claws.

"No!" Nancy screamed, speeding towards him, but it was too late. He had ripped through the door, and flew through the ghost zone. Nancy, Vlad, and Clockwork followed, not wanting him to get back to the real world.

"Wait, I have an idea." Vlad realized. "Guys, follow me!" He moved at full speed. Clockwork grabbed Nancy, as she was unable to keep up. None of them could tell how long it took, especially when Vlad wouldn't tell them anything. He shoved a purple football out of the way, and flew through a portal.

"Where are we?" Nancy asked.

"Shut up and let me concentrate!" Vlad snapped. He typed in a series of numbers into the machine, shutting the portal, and putting a shield around it. "All right, he won't be able to get through now."

"Vlad, the Fenton Portal is still active, along with random portals hat show up." Clockwork warned, turning into an old man. "Even if we got here in time, he'll get out."

"Oh, no, that means Daniel will encounter him." Vlad whispered. "Nancy, take whatever weapons you can find. He will not resume his killing spree, not if I have anything to say about it. Good thing those government idiots didn't find this place."

"Wow, you built all this?" Nancy said, impressed. She picked up a bazooka. "Let's get this fucker!" Vlad looked around, hoping to warn Jack before Freddy arrived. Unfortunately, there was no way to find a phone.

"I see all the piggies have arrived." Krueger laughed, showing himself. "Vlad, I never knew you had such an obsession with Maddie, and now she's dead, poor girl. Still, Daniel would always become one of my children."

"Don't you dare touch him!" Vlad exclaimed furiously. "Come on! Are you too much of a coward to fight me?"

"Coward, am I?" Krueger laughed. "Good-bye, Vlad. Good-bye forever." Darkness grew his hands and he blasted the trio. When light began to show, they found themselves in Clockwork's tower, his staff destroyed.

"I'm not going to let this stop me." Vlad declared, flying out of the tower, only to hit an invisible shield. "Why can't we get out?"

"The dream demons," Clockwork moaned weakly. "They're keeping us here."

"Is there anything we can do?" Nancy demanded.

"There is one way, but to do so would mean releasing something worse than Krueger." Clockwork replied, pointing towards the battered Thermos. "I can't help you now. It's taking all my strength to keep him from breaking out."

"Great, now what are we going to do?" Vlad complained. He looked up and saw a scoreboard, currently at zero. _Probably_

"Kincaid, Joey, Kristen… we have to save them." Nancy gasped. (This is AU after the third movie, except for the dream demons)

"Well, it doesn't look like we're going anywhere for the moment. I only hope Daniel's prepared for this."

Yeah, I decided to make a new sequel to "Siege of Amity Park". This is a crossover I've had in my mind for a while, and it's about time I wrote it. Enjoy!


End file.
